1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device that serves as a multi-functional tool. It is a retractable golf divot repair tool, it is a tool for attaching and removing soft spikes from the soles of golf shoes, and it is a holder for markers used in marking the position of golf balls on the golf course.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a golfer heads for the golf course, he needs several items. First, he needs a golf divot repair tool so that he can repair the sod when he disturbs it during play. Divot repair tools are provided with pointed ends to stick down into the sod in order to lift the sod. Because these pointed ends can stick the golfer, it is desirable that the tool be retractable into a cover to prevent the golfer from being poked by the pointed ends when he is carrying the tool in his pocket.
Second, since most of today""s golfers wear golf shoes with replaceable soft spikes, a golfer needs to carry a tool to remove and replace soft spikes from the soles of his shoes.
Finally, a golfer needs a ball marker when he goes to play golf.
The present invention addresses all of these needs by providing a golf divot repair tool that is also a tool for engaging soft spikes. The present invention is provided with a case into which the pointed ends of the tool retract, and the case has an indentation provided in it to removably receive a ball marker that attaches magnetically to the indentation.
The present invention is a tool with a retractable portion that can be placed into three separate positions relative to the outside case of the tool: a first extended position where two pointed arms provided on the retractable portion protrude complete out of the case for use in repairing divots, as second partially extended position where the two pointed arms protrude only part way out of the case for use in attaching soft spikes to the sole of a golfer""s shoes, and a third fully retracted position where the two pointed arms are fully retracted within the case for when the tool is not in use.
The retractable portion is movably sandwiched between an upper plate and a lower plate. A decorative top outside cover is attached to the upper plate and a decorative bottom outside cover is attached to the lower plate.
The upper plate and the top outside cover are each provided with a slot that extends along a longitudinal axis of the tool and communicates completely through its respective plate or cover. Each slot is sufficiently wide so that a neck portion of a latching mechanism extends through the slot and travels along the length of the slot between opposite ends of the slot.
An upper end of the neck portion is provided with male threads that removably engage female threads provided in a shank portion of a button knob. The button knob extends outward beyond the case. The neck portion is secured on its opposite end to a cylindrical shoulder so that the cylindrical shoulder is located between the neck portion and a lower cylindrical end of the latching mechanism. The latching mechanism is hollow and has an opening at the lower cylindrical end that communicates with the hollow interior compartment. The interior compartment consists of a larger diameter portion located adjacent to the opening and a smaller diameter portion located inward of the larger diameter portion that forms the terminus for the interior compartment. A compartment shoulder is formed in the hollow interior compartment at the intersection of the two portions.
A detent inserts in the hollow interior compartment along with a spring so that the spring enters the smaller diameter portion of the compartment and biases the detent outward. The detent has a rounded end that extends out of the opening and an opposite smaller end that inserts into the center of the spring so that a detent shoulder is formed at the intersection of the rounded end and the smaller end. When the detent is forced upward into the hollow interior compartment, the detent shoulder engages the compartment shoulder, thus limiting the upward movement of the detent within the compartment.
The lower cylindrical end of the latching mechanism inserts through a cylindrical opening that communicates through an end of the retractable portion located opposite the two pointed arms. When the latching mechanism is thus positioned, the shoulder lies above the plane of the retractable portion and the lower cylindrical end extends through the cylindrical opening and terminates below the plane of the retractable portion.
The upper plate is provided with a first upper channel of a sufficient depth to movably accommodate approximately half the thickness of the retractable portion. This first upper channel is closed at a first end and is open at a second end so that the retractable portion can be moved out of the case to its fully extended position at the second end of the first upper channel. Above this first upper channel, the upper plate is provided with a second upper channel for movably accommodating the shoulder of the latching mechanism.
Likewise, the lower plate is provided with a first lower channel of a sufficient depth to movably accommodate approximately half the thickness of the retractable portion. This first lower channel is closed at a first end and is open at a second end so that the retractable portion can be moved out of the case to its fully extended position at the second end of the first lower channel. Below this first lower channel, the lower plate is provided with a second lower channel for movably accommodating the lower cylindrical end of the latching mechanism. Below the second lower channel, the lower plate is provided with three concave indentations for removably receiving the rounded end of the detent as a means of latching the retractable portion in its fully extended position, its partially extended position, and its fully retracted position.
Together the first upper channel and the first lower channel define a channel compartment inside the case within which the retractable portion moves between its fully extended position and its fully retracted position. The upper and lower plates are secured together by means of screws that insert through screw openings provided in the upper plate and engage threaded screw openings provided in the lower plate.
The decorative top outside cover attaches to an outwardly facing surface of the upper plate by glue or other suitable fastening means. Likewise, and the decorative bottom outside cover attaches to an outwardly facing surface of the lower plate by glue or other suitable fastening means.
The decorative bottom outside cover is provided with an indented compartment into which a magnet is permanently affixed. The indented compartment is sufficiently large to accommodate a metal ball marker that is held in the indented compartment by the magnet. The magnet does not cover the entire surface of the indented compartment. Thus, to remove the ball marker from the indented compartment, the user presses on the ball mark at a location where the magnet is not present. This pressure causes the ball marker to tilt out of the indented compartment and the ball marker can be easily grasped and removed from the tool.